Matched (Book #1) by Ally Condie
Reading Level: Young Adult
Release Date: November 30, 2010
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Pages: 384
Source: Received from publisher for honest review
Summary: Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.
My Review: Back when I was establishing my English degree, I was introduced to George Orwell, the author of 1984. This phenomenal novel is my favorite piece of classic literature. If you haven't been exposed to this masterpiece, I suggest you read it. The whole "big brother is watching you" expression will start making sense. Since then, I've been waiting for a book to have a similar theme and thankfully Matched came along. Ally's writing conveyed a tranquil tone that smoothly carried throughout the text. The fruitfulness behind the controlled society had a distinct flare I've never seen before. Imagine living in a world where officials decide every aspect of your life. I would go crazy! Especially, the whole element of being linked to your most probable love match. This became evident once the protagonist, Cassia, went through the steps of matching. All in all, her bravery and strength made this forbidden tale of love into an underlying fight for the truth.
When she was matched with her best friend, Xandar, all was seemingly well. However, a micro card glitch showed a quick glimpse of another's face. Ky, Cassia's long time acquaintance, was one of my favorite characters. His secretive and complex behavior was challenging. I enjoyed peeling back his layers with her. On the other hand, Xandar was a stand up guy whose loyalty proved advantageous. I empathized with the overwhelming situation he was thrown into. Now, the uniformed environment provided a world of perfection, with little room for freedom. The precise developments eliminated diseases and even managed the time of death. The ultimate struggle with Ky and Cassia was to either chip away at the discovered, mirrored crack or succumb to their pronounced fate. I am greatly anticipating the next installment to see how far they are willing to go for love. Ally has created a promising start to a series that will sustain a reader's love for dystopian fiction.
My Rating: 
(4.5)
(4.5)Book Trailer:
Author's Info:
Ally Condie received a degree in English Teaching from Brigham Young University and spent a number of years teaching high school English in Utah and in upstate New York. She lives with her husband and three sons outside of Salt Lake City, Utah.
For more info on Ally, visit her site(s):
7 comments:
I adored this one as well, absolutely one of my favorite reads of the year. I completely agree with you on the tranquil tone, everything was very neat and clean and pristine - just like the Society. And I loved all three of the protagonists, they seemed so real and easy to relate to. Can't wait for the next book, fabulous review!
I definitely agree that this novel has this underlying tranquil tone. Well, until the *stuff* hits the fan, anyway! I loved this book. I, too, was reminded of 1984 and other classic dystopias. Love it. Love this genre. Hope it never loses popularity. Thanks for your review!
I love this book and its lyrical . Loved the idea of being matched up with a mate.
Woot! Loved Matched. I can't wait to add this to my favorites shelf. The writing was so poetic.
AHHHH!! I can't wait for Nov 30!!! I wanna read this book so badly : X
Great review! I am itching to read this one!
Matched sounds like a excellent dysopian read.
I started 1984 on audio a little while back but I gave up since I all of a sudden put it on shuffle. Sounds like I need to start it over again.
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